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4 people are interested
Distance Transcription Volunteer
ORGANIZATION: Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters NHS
Please visit the new page to apply.
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4 people are interested
Summary of Position
Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters NHS preserves the home of Henry W. Longfellow, one of the world’s foremost 19 th century poets. The site also tells the story of its use as General George Washington’s first headquarters of the American Revolution, from 1775-76. In addition, the park possess a rich and varied collection of artifacts and archival materials, including 450+ linear feet of paper. These are the Longfellow family papers, including journals and letters. The site has an ongoing effort to digitize these materials and make them accessible online. Much of that work is done by digital transcription.
The volunteer will be responsible for transcribing a set of papers in the archives, following standard procedures. This can be done from any computer with a word processing program and an internet connection. Finished transcriptions are then sent back to the site and collected by the Archivist to be reviewed and eventually published.
Duties- Reliably and accurately transcribes historic documents from digital scans.
- Engages in self-directed study to increase content knowledge about the site history connected to the transcription project.
- In addition, volunteer can conduct additional research in order to provide context to the transcription, footnoting their transcriptions as they go.
- Tracks volunteer hours and project progress, sending email updates and questions to Volunteer Coordinator on a monthly basis.
- Must have access to a computer with internet, email and a word processor, like Microsoft Word.
- Volunteer will take required training on how to transcribe, provided by the park. Previous experience is a plus, but not necessary.
This is an unpaid position.
More opportunities with Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters NHS
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters NHS
Location:
105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, US
Mission Statement
The mission of Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site is to preserve and interpret the historically and culturally significant buildings, grounds, and collections which reflect the values and ideals of its occupants. As home and headquarters to General George Washington during the Siege of Boston (1775-1776), and home to poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and family (1837-1950), and one of the country’s finest examples of mid-Georgian architecture, the site offers insight into the many themes related to the country’s birth and evolving national identity. "The Past and Present here unite Beneath Time’s flowing tide, Like footprints hidden by a brook, But seen on either side. " From: A Gleam of Sunshine Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1846
Description
Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site was home to one of America’s foremost writers and scholars. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lived at 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, for most of his literary career, from 1837 until his death in 1882. The site is also closely associated with George Washington, who made the house his headquarters between 1775-1776, while serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. In addition, John Vassall and Andrew Craigie, among the largest landowners in eighteenth and early nineteenth-century Cambridge, invested much of their wealth in this property during their respective periods of residence. The house, built in 1759 by Caribbean plantation owner and Loyalist Major John Vassall, is an outstanding example of mid-Georgian (mid-eighteenth century) architecture in the United States.
The structures, collections and grounds of Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site retain a high degree of historical integrity, making documentation and interpretation possible to a level of detail rarely realized in historic house museums. The house has also come to symbolize the embodiment of our colonial heritage and the foundation and flowering of our nation.
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
This is a Virtual Opportunity with no fixed address.
DATE POSTED
March 7, 2018
SKILLS
- History
- Basic Computer Skills
- Research
- Google Apps
- Library Sciences
- Internet Research
GOOD FOR
N/A
REQUIREMENTS
- 2-10 hours a week, but very flexible
- Must have a computer with a word processor and internet access; ability to read cursive script